The pressure of migration is intensifying at Hungary’s Southern border section; between January and November this year, more than 11,400 people attempted to cross the Hungarian border illegally, while last year during the same period only 5.400 did, Chief Security Advisor to the Prime Minister György Bakondi said on Kossuth Radio’s programme ‘Sunday Paper’.

They are observing an intensification of illegal activity not only on the Serbian, but also on the Croatian, Romanian and Ukrainian border sections, he said, adding that more than 106,000 registered migrants are on the Balkans route, and the number of those who arrived illegally can only be estimated.

This mass is now appearing at the European Union’s borders, we have failed to stop this “influx”. The EU’s flawed migration policy in the past five years has had several seriously negative effects, the chief advisor said.

He stressed that the Hungarian government has high hopes for a change in the EU’s migration policy as indicated by the President of the new European Commission.

Mr Bakondi said “We are in the eleventh hour to stop this suicidal policy, the illegal and unlawful mass influx of migrants, and to keep border controls within organised boundaries, maintaining the decision-making competence of nation states”.

Regarding the security of Christmas fairs in Hungary, the chief advisor said they are implementing the measures which proved to work well last year. They will protect sites attracting large numbers of visitors with the deployment of police force and where necessary also with physical obstacles. He also added that Hungary is in an easier situation than many other countries in Europe as here there are no illegal immigrants in masses, or groups which would assist with the commission of acts of terrorism.

(MTI)